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Bananas is a monthly underground hip hop showcase that goes off every third Tuesday of the month at Kaos Network in Leimert Park. Six years running, Bananas is the place to be for enterprising hip hop artists who are making a name for themselves in L.A.’s underground scene. The lineup is determined by Kyle Guy (alter ego of posi rap superhero VerbS), who packs in a substantial list of young and hungry artists, rare talent, and out-of-town troubadours each month.

Lyraflip

Bananas isn’t just another obscure affair – You can always count on a core group of regulars in addition to an unpredictable mix of exquisite creatures from all corners of the city, many of whom would probably never find their way to Leimert Park without the lure of Bananas.

“It’s a big-ass rap party,” says Guy, who is apt to book more than a dozen acts for each show. “There are people from all walks of life coming out.”

Hugh Augustine

It’s an eclectic mix, where the money-and-hoes rappers get to mingle with the punk-rock hip hop heads. You never quite know who will pop up, like guitar virtuoso John Frusciante, who made a discreet appearance earlier this year, or any number of local legends from Leimert and beyond.

Signor Benedict the Moor

Hip hop may dominate, but that’s not all there is to the Bananas lineup. R & B, Afro Caribbean dance, live beats and sidewalk ciphers are all par for the course at this monthly gathering. Bananas goes off on the 3rd Tuesday of every month, with a few rare “Green Bananas” shows here and there.